Class Action Filed Against P&G Due to Alleged Serious Skin Rashes From Old Spice

The recent natural movement that has led many people towards organic foods has spread to other areas of our everyday lives. Many people now reach for organic soaps and moisturizers as well as local, organic produce.

Deodorant in particular has seen an increased demand for natural options, especially since claims arose years ago that conventional deodorant is linked to cancer. The validity of those claims is still up for debate, but what many customers of Old Spice say is not up for debate are the severe rashes and burns they’ve allegedly received as a result of the company’s various deodorant products.

According to a recent consumer class action lawsuit against Procter & Gamble, the company’s Old Spice deodorant products have left serious rashes and chemical burns on hundreds, maybe even thousands, of customers. The class action lawsuit was filed in March and is seeking $5 million in damages.

Old Spice is a product line with many different kinds of deodorants. The consumer class action lawsuit currently lists 13 different Old Spice products, including Arctic Force High Endurance deodorant and Old Spice Lionpride deodorant.

The lawsuit further alleges Procter & Gamble actively tried to cover up the damage they knew their products were doing in favor of collecting large profits. In support of this claim, the lawsuit points to the many blog posts and YouTube videos that can be found online featuring the irritation, burning and rashes that were commonly experienced by consumers.

Damon Jones, a Procter & Gamble spokesperson, insists the company has gone to great lengths to make sure all their products are safe to use and that the issues have been experienced by only a small number of consumers. Rather than blaming the product, Jones claims the problems consumers have been experiencing could be caused by other factors, including sensitivity to alcohol (which he says is used in most deodorant products) or any one of the fragrances used in the products.

Jones maintains that millions of happy customers use Old Spice products and recommends that anyone who experiences issues tries an antiperspirant instead, because they have a different formulation.

But the lawsuit alleges enough people have been affected all across the country to warrant calling the hygiene product defective. The lead plaintiff lives in Virginia, but the lawsuit has pointed to complaints of the various products that have been posted online by people living in Washington, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

The lawsuit also contains allegations by multiple customers who complained to Old Spice, only to have their complaints dismissed by the company. One woman was told by a representative that she was only the second person to complain in the three years the representative had been working at the company. But another woman found a significant number of complaints online, some dating back several years.

The National Center for Biotechnology posted on its website in 2008 that compounds in most deodorants and antiperspirants can cause irritation and allergic reactions in consumers, and warned that customers should be aware of that possibility when purchasing deodorant products.

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